BILL NUMBER: AB 3018 AMENDED
BILL TEXT
AMENDED IN SENATE JULY 2, 2008
INTRODUCED BY Assembly Member Nunez
(Principal coauthors: Assembly Members Bass and De Leon)
(Coauthors: Assembly Members Davis, De La Torre, Eng, Hancock,
Laird, Leno, Mullin, Price, Ruskin, Solorio, and Swanson)
FEBRUARY 22, 2008
An act to add Division 8 (commencing with Section 15000) to the
Unemployment Insurance Code, relating to job training.
LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST
AB 3018, as amended, Nunez. California Green Collar Jobs Act of
2008: green jobs.
Existing law contains various programs for job training and
employment investment.
This bill would set forth legislative findings and declarations
relating to the state's green economy and the increasing demand for a
highly skilled and well-trained green collar workforce, and would
enact the California Green Collar Jobs Act of 2008 requiring the
Secretary of the Labor and Workforce Development Agency,
California Workforce Investment Board to establish the
Green Collar Jobs Council that shall, in consultation with
representatives from various public and private groups, to develop a
comprehensive array of programs, strategies, and resources to address
the workforce needs that accompany California's growing green
economy and to establish, among other programs, green job training
programs for eligible individuals, as provided.
Vote: majority. Appropriation: no. Fiscal committee: yes.
State-mandated local program: no.
THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
SECTION 1. Division 8 (commencing with Section 15000) is added to
the Unemployment Insurance Code, to read:
DIVISION 8. California Green Collar Jobs Act of 2008
15000. This division shall be known, and may be cited, as the
California Green Collar Jobs Act of 2008.
15001. (a) The Legislature finds and declares all of the
following:
(1) The State of California has long been a national and
international leader on environmental, natural resource,
pollution prevention, and energy policy, as well as
most recently, landmark laws on issues, as well as
recent landmark laws in the areas of climate change, renewable
energy, energy efficiency, and alternative transportation
fuel fuels .
(2) These laws have The passage of these
laws has resulted in billions of dollars of investment capital
pouring flowing into the State of
California for research, development, and commercialization of new
green and clean technologies. This vast amount of
investment investment of capital is indicative
of the rapidly growing clean and green technology sector of the
California economy.
(3) As the green economy grows, there is an increased
demand for, and recognition of, the need it will be
accompanied by an increased demand for a highly skilled and
well-trained "green collar" workforce.
(4) It is critically important for the State of California to act
promptly to build and expand the necessary partnerships and programs
as well as identify the resources necessary to meet our statewide
green collar workforce needs. Such an effort must involve our
kindergarten and grades 1 to 12, inclusive, and higher education
systems, labor unions, environmental community, workforce development
programs, nongovernmental organizations, and private sector
industries.
(b) With more and more California businesses dedicated to
researching, developing, and commercializing clean and green
technologies in the areas of renewable energy, energy efficiency,
greenhouse gas emission reduction, and alternative transportation
fuels, there will be an increasing demand for a well-trained, highly
skilled workforce to perform the jobs created by California's
continued ingenuity, leadership, and innovation in the green economy
sector.
(c) In order to meet most effectively the workforce needs that
face California's emerging green economy, the state must create a
partnership of public and private organizations tasked with
coordinating our statewide workforce training and development
efforts.
15002. (a) The Secretary of the Labor
and Workforce Development Agency, in consultation with
representatives from the Community College Chancellor's Office,
University of California Board of Regents, State Department of
Education, Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, Department
of Veterans Affairs, the Superintendent of Public Instruction,
California Environmental Protection Agency, as well as energy,
alternative fuels, consumer, financial, labor, environmental justice,
and other groups, shall develop a comprehensive array of programs,
strategies, and resources to address the workforce needs that
accompany California's growing green economy.
(b) It is the intent of the Legislature that this working group be
known as the Green Collar Jobs Council (GCJC), an intergovernmental
partnership.
(4) California state government must act promptly to build the
partnerships, expand the programs, and secure the resources necessary
to meet our green workforce needs. This effort must involve both our
K-12 and higher education systems, labor unions, the environmental
community, workforce development programs, nongovernmental
organizations, philanthropy, and private sector industries.
15002. (a) The California Workforce Investment
Board (CWIB) shall establish a special committee known as the Green
Collar Jobs Council (GCJC), comprised of the appropriate
representatives from its existing board ranks, to develop a strategic
initiative in the green workforce development arena. The GCJC shall
consult with other entities including, but not limited to,
philanthropic groups, nongovernmental organizations, and
environmental groups, in the development of this strategic
initiative.
(c) The GCJC shall
(b) As part of the strategic
initiative the GCJC shall identify and develop the framework,
funding, strategies, programs, partnerships, and
opportunities necessary to address the growing need for a
highly skilled and well-trained workforce to meet the needs of
California's emerging green economy. The council
GCJC shall do all of the following:
(1) Assist in identifying and linking green collar job
opportunities with workforce development training opportunities in
the various CWIB regions of the state.
(2) Create public, private, philanthropic, and
nongovernmental partnerships to build and expand the state's
workforce development programs, network, and infrastructure.
(3) Establish job training programs in the clean and green
technology sectors to assist and prepare specific populations, such
as at-risk youth, displaced workers, veterans, formerly incarcerated
individuals, and others facing barriers to employment.
(4) Develop statewide and regional labor market data on California'
s new and emerging green industries workforce needs, trends, and job
growth.
(5) Identify funding resources and make recommendations on how to
expand and leverage these funds.
(6) Foster regional collaboratives in the green economic sector.
15003. On or before April 1, 2009, and each April 1 yearly
thereafter, the CWIB shall report to the Legislature on the status of
GCJC activities and its development of a green workforce strategic
initiative.